Insulated container



Dec. 25, 1962 R, P. BROWN INSULATED CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 10, 1961 Dec. 25, 1962 Filed Jan. 10, 1961 R. P. BROWN INSULATED CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fob RZPOW shell.

United States Patent 3,070,253 INSULATED CONTAINER Robert P. Brown, White Plains, N.Y., assignor to Poloron Products, Inc., New Rochelle, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 81,813 1 Claim. (Cl. 220--9) The present invention is directed to improvements in insulated container structures.

In the construction of thermally insulated vessels such as jugs for containing liquids, ice cubes and the like, a common practice is to employ typically a jacket composed of dry insulating material confined within an outer In such a device the carrying handle or bail is normally attached to the outer shell, usually at the upper portion or shoulder thereof, which construction requires that the shell parts he made sufiiciently strong and rigid to support the weight of the jug and its contents without danger of flexing and breakage at the points of handle attachment. The outer shell complication adds appreciably to both material and assembly costs, at the same time resulting in an inconveniently heavy or rigid jug.

This inventionhas as one of its objects the provision of an improved insulated container structure characterized by its simplicity, efiiciency, light weight and relatively low cost.

A further object resides in the provision of an improved insulated jugstructure in which the insulation itself constitutes the sole outer jacket.

A further object is to provide an improved light-weight jug structure which is readily assembled, low in cost, attractive in appearance, and cushioned against exterior shocks due to rough or careless handling.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident during the course of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a typical insulated jug embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exterior side view of the same;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal detail section of one of the handle mounting members shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a similar section of an alternative form of handle mounting member;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmental sectional view showing an alternative assembly arrangement of the handle mounting members, and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional assembly view similar to FIG- URE 1 but illustrating an alternative one-piece construction of the handle mounting means.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the numeral 10 generally denotes a jug having an inner liner or container 11, preferably of plastic and formed with an upper neck 12 adapted to receive a screw closure cap 13, the cap also preferably being of plastic. Enveloping the liner 11 is an insulating jacket made up of a main body 14 and an upper shoulder portion 15 secured thereto. A pair of oppositely disposed handle holders or mounting members 16, embedded in the body 14 and extending upward through close-fitting slots 15a in the shoulder portion 15, mount a handle or bail 17 hinged to their upper ends by means of rivets 18 or the like. The handle 17 may walls of the liner and jacket.

preferably be made of strong plastic such as extruded vinyl.

The body 14 and shoulder portion 15 are moulded of light expandedplastic material such as polystyrene foam. The members 16, which in this form of the device are embedded as inserts in the body during the molding operation, are made preferably of strip metal and are formed with lower feet or barbs 19 and upwardly inclined barbs 20 which serve to anchor the members firmly and permanently in the insulating material. For clarity in assembly illustration, the members 16 are depicted in full profile rather than section in FIG. 1, their described individual structure being shown in enlarged sectional detail in FIGURE 3.

In assembling the device, the liner 11 is first inserted in the body 14, after which the shoulder portion 15 is pressed downward over the mounting members 16 and cemented or bonded to the body 14 as shown. Thereafter the handle 17 is hinged to the members 16 and the cap 13 is added to complete the basic jug structure. The body 14 and shoulder portion 15 when so assembled constitute the sole jacket enveloping the liner 11, the firm vertical anchoring of the members 16 in the body 14 providing ample lifting strength without the necessity for additional outer shells or other exterior reinforcements. During the initial molding of the body 14 and shoulder portion 15 these elements acquire an outer skin impervious to liquids and which may obviously be of any desired color for attractive appearance. To further augment the attractive aspect, the body 14 may be formed with exterior decorative features such as flutes 21 as shown in FIG. 2. In addition to its function as an insulator, the simple expanded plastic jacket has the further advantage of sufficient inherent resilience to provide cushioning against damage or clatter in case of rough or careless handling.

The structural and assembly features described above may be applied to jugs of any desired convenient shape, for example of cylindrical rather than the generally rectangular form illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. For many services such jugs are advantageously employed in their simplest basic container form, while if desired for other types of service they may be provided with pouring spouts 22, bottom faucets 23, or both, as indicated in FIG. 2, provisions in such case being made in the formation of the jackets and liners for installation of these fixtures in any suitable manner.

In the detail variation in handle mounting member formation shown in FIG. 4 the members 16a employ a plurality of holes 24 instead of barbs. When the members of this type are molded as inserts in the jacket body the molding material fills the holes 24 and is set therein as bridges to provide, in cooperation with the feet 19, the required anchoring against vertical movement.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative arrangement in which the handle mounting members may be incorporated during final assembly rather than as inserts in the initial molding operation. In this case the liner 11 is first inserted snugly in the jacket body 14 as before, after which the mounting members 16b, from which the lower feet have been omitted, are forced downward between the Thereupon the barbs 20 embed themselves in the body 14 in effective anchoring relation as shown.

In the second alternative assembly structure shown in FIG. 6, the handle mounting means is formed as a single U-shaped member or stirrup 25 having barbs 26 extending outwardly at right angles from its vertical side portions. In assembling, the member 25 is sprung laterally inward and inserted in the jacket body 14, the contraction permitting the barbs 26 to clear the tip of the body so that the stirrup may bottom in the body cavity. The contracting force is then released to allow the sides of the stirrup to spring outwardly and bring the barbs into engagement with the body 14, after which the liner 11 is forced into place. During these operations the barbs 26, which may advantageously be formed with sharp outer points, are forced into the jacket body 14 exterior backing pressure being supplied to the outside of the jacket walls if necessary to ensure complete and snug embedding. Thereafter, addition of the shoulder jacket portion 15, the bail 17 and the cap 13 completes the assembly in the manner previously described. It will be noted that in this form of the device the great preponderance of the loaded weight of the container when lifted is supported directly by the one-piece stirrup 25. It will also be noted that in this form as well as the others described, the preponderant lifting stress on the handle mounting member or members is practically all tensional, allowing these parts to be made of relatively thin material with consequent snug assembly, minimum weight, and low cost.

While the shoulder portion 15 has been shown as being cemented to the main body, it may be held against the main body by securing means carried by the holders 16. For instance, each holder may have a tab extruded therefrom to lock the shoulder portion 15 in place or a spring lock member or clip may be pressed over the end of the holder so that the holder will not only support the main body but will also hold the shoulder in place on the main body.

In the foregoing description of typical embodiments certain general preferences as to component materials have been noted, but it will be understood that the concept is not confined thereto. For example, for some types of service the liner 11 may be made of glass, ceramics or metals, such as aluminum, steel and the like. Also, it will be evident that in addition to jugs the general structural features are similarly applicable toother containers such as ice buckets and the like. Thus, while the invention has been set forth in preferred typical forms, it is not limited to the exact embodiments illustrated, as various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A thermally insulated structure comprising an inner container having bottom, side and top walls, a jacket of molded insulting material having a main body portion and an upper cover-like shoulder portion, said body portion enclosing the bottom and at least part of the side walls of said container and having an upwardly extending peripheral portion of reduced width to form a pcripheral recess for the reception of said cover-like shoulder portion, said shoulder portion engaging the top wall of said inner container, handle mounting means carried by said body portion and extending upwardly therefrom a distance greater than the thickness of said shoulder por tion, said shoulder portion having a peripheral recess formed in the edge thereof for cooperation with the internal peripheral recess in said body portion and having a pair of vertically disposed openings for reception and accommodation of the upwardly extending portion of said handle mounting means and a handle secured to the upper ends of'said handle mounting means, said means each including 'at least one outwardly extending barb anchored in said jacket body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 195,706 Dennis et a1 Oct. 2, 1877 1,639,492 Dunzweiler Aug. 16, 1927 1,696,001 Gunkel Dec. 18, 1928 1,771,123 Johnson July 22, 1930 2,216,830 Roberts Oct. 8, 1940 2,484,608 Cheyney et al Oct. 11, 1949 2,563,508 Anschicks Aug. 7, 1951 2,881,936 Piker Apr. 14, 1959 2,899,103 Ebert Aug. 11, 1959 2,909,300 Engram Oct. 20, 1959 2,978,133 Huck Mar. 27, 1962 

